Eternal Life

ROMANS 6:23 NKJ 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Eternal life, or everlasting life, is more than living forever. Eternal life is the life of God, the Eternal One.

The Greek word "aionios" is usually translated as eternal or everlasting in the New Testament. (From this word we get our English word "eon.")

"Zoe" is one of several Greek words that are translated life. According to Vine's Dictionary, zoe means "life as a principle, life in the absolute sense, life as God has it. . . . Eternal life is the present actual possession of the believer because of his relationship with Christ. . . ."

A note in the Translator's New Testament says, "In the New Testament eternal life is that kind of life which is given to all true believers in Christ. The word `eternal' draws attention to the quality of that life, not to its duration in a temporal sense. Thus eternal life can be experienced by believers even while subject to the temporal conditions of earthly life. Translators should be careful to avoid expressions which mean no more than a timeless continuation of life after death."

More than three times as many scriptures refer to eternal life as a present possession, than as a future possession.

JOHN 5:24 NKJ 24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

There is only one way to get eternal life. When a person is born again by receiving Jesus Christ, eternal life is imparted to that person's spirit -- making them new inwardly.

1 JOHN 3:14-15 NKJ 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

From this passage, we see that eternal life is a present-tense possession which changes the nature of a person: turning them into someone who cares for others. Eternal life enables people to overcome selfishness.

Just as something with fish life in it could do what a fish does, so someone with God's life in them can do what God does -- which is walk in love.

SAY THIS: God has given me a new kind of life through Jesus Christ -- His life.